Of same place



(No Model.) J. NADON.

GAR SEAL.

No. 511,642. Patented Dec. 26, 1893.

UNITED STATES PATENT Fries.

JOSEPH NADON, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN YORK, OF SAME PLACE.

CAR-SEAL.

$PECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 511 ,642, dated December 26, 1893.

Application filed May 29,1893- To to whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH NADON, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Seals; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to car-seals, and has for its object to provide an improved car sealing device, which may be sealed or locked, without the aid or use of any tool; and which is so constructed that the sealing strips may be preserved intact, after the seal is broken.

To these ends, my invention consists in the novel device, several forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein, like letters referring to like parts throughout the several views- Figure 1 is a side elevation, illustrating one form of my device. Fig. 2 is a transverse section, taken on the line X X of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the lock-piece of the seal, the sealing strip being removed. Fig. 4. is a transverse vertical section of the seal, taken on the line X X of Fig. 3. Figs. 5 and 6 are views,

respectively, in edge elevation and transverse vertical section, illustrating another form of the device. Fig. 7 is a view, also in transverse vertical section, some parts being broken away, illustrating still another form of the locking device; and Fig. 8 is a view in plan, showing one of the sealing strips laid out its full length.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, A is the sealing strip provided at its ends, with hooklike portions Ct formed by bending the ends of the strip backward upon the main portion or body of the strip, so that they lie normally, at a slight angle to said body portion.

B is the lock-piece, in the form of a shell or hollow block, constructed with a pair of openings or slots 19, and apair of internal depending wedge shaped locking surfaces or detents b.

The hooked ends a of the sealing strip A are interlocked with the locking detents b of the lock-piece B, by forcing the same, one

Serial No. 475,822. (No model.)

through each of the slots 1), with their hook portions facing, each its respective locking detent. As the ends of the sealing strip are forced through the slots, the hook portions Ct will be pressed upon the body portion of the strip. When the said hooks a are passed below the detents b, they will immediately assume their expanded or angular positions. The wedge shaped detents b will then engage in the angles of the hooked ends of the strips, and prevent their withdrawal. Vith this construction, it is impossible, after the parts are once interlocked, as above described to open the seal, without cutting or breaking the hooked ends, 01' without breaking the lockpiece B.

In the construction shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, the parts are similar to those in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, with the following exceptions, to wit: In the construction shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the lock-piece B is provided with a single opening or slot b located between the detents b, in lieu of the pair of slots 12 employed in the construction above described; and the hooked portions (1. of the sealing strip A, are turned from each other and their backs are placed together, in passing the same through the slot 1) into their interlocking position with the detents b. In the construction shown in Fig. 7, the locking piece B is provided with a dividing partition 6 located between the locking detents b, and serving to prevent an excessive spreading of the hooks a, under a drawing strain upon the sealing strip A. It will be noted, that in all of the forms shown, the distance between the depending edges of the wedge-shaped detents b and the bottom of the lock-piece, is greater than the length of the hooks Ct of the sealing strip A, and also that the length of said detents b is greater than the said hook portions a. The purpose of the former feature is to permit the hooks to be interlocked with the detents; While,in virtue of the latter feature, the edges of the detents will engage the crotches formed by said hooks.

A very important action, due to the shape of the hooked ends of the sealing strip, and the V-shaped or chisel edged locking detents should be here noted. As before stated, the

points of the detents engage the crotch of the hooked ends of the sealing strip; and hence, under an excessive drawing strain on the strip the hooked points would be cut off by the chisel edges of the detents rather than be Withdrawn by an unrolling or straightening action.

Preferably, I construct the lock-piecesB of some brittle material, such as, for example, earthenware glasses, or other similar material having considerable strength and adapted to be easily broken by a blow. The lockpiece 13 may, however, be made of a thin shell of cast iron, which may also be readily broken by a blow. In practice, when the car is to be opened, the seal is removed by breaking this lock-piece 13. Of course, the lock-piece B might be made of a soft tenacious material, such as lead, adapted to be cut open; but the former construction is preferable. In either case, the sealing strip A is left intact and u nmutilated, after the seal is broken.

If so desired, the ends of the sealing strip A may be marked with some character, such for example, as an arrow, to indicate the original or full length of the same. When so marked, as is evident, the hooked ends of the sealing strip cannot be broken off and again 1. A car-seal comprising a metallic sealing strip, having its ends turned abruptly backward to form the \I-shaped hook-like ends,

and a locking piece having internal V-shaped, chisel pointed locking detents, the chisel points of which are engageable with the crutches of the \l-shaped ends of the sealing strip, When the parts are interlocked, sub stantially as described. a

2. A car-seal comprising a metallic sealing strip A, having the V-shaped or hook-like ends a, and the locking piece B, having the pair of slots or openings 1) and the chisel pointed locking detents b, said parts adapted to be interlocked, substantially as described. In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH NADON. Witnesses:

FRANK P. MEROHANT, J OHN YORK. 

